The Illawarra’s first all-women invitational surf showdown, The Ocean Queen Classic, hosted by Woonona Boardriders, is set to run on May 5 at Woonona Beach.
Showcasing the area’s rich and rising talent, the invitation-only event will highlight surfing by the hottest women surfers from Cronulla to Ulladulla in both junior and women’s divisions, crowning a queen by day’s end.
Winners will also receive a generous prize purse intended to help them on the road to surf stardom.
The day will be a fun one with food trucks, ice baths, music, stalls, and a presentation and party in the surf club afterward, said Kirby Mowbray, who is Woonona Boardriders women’s coordinator and the Ocean Queen Classic’s main organiser.
She is excited that the event will also feature a heritage heat, showcasing the incredible women who have paved the way for our current stars.
This battle of the old guard will feature Australian surfing icon and world champion Pam Burridge and local ex-world tour surfers Jenny Gill, Yvonne Turner, Kim Wooldridge and Fiona Hunt.
“We’re uniting the past, present, and future of surfing into one great event,” Kirby said. “And it’ll be fun to see some old rivalries revisited!”
Yvonne Turner, a World Competition Tour competitor in the late ‘90s and Woonona Boardriders member, said that the day is something that is sorely needed.
In the past, Yvonne said, there were no competitions set up to support women's surfing. "Misogyny has been rife in surfing for decades. We were always side acts for men’s comp surfing in bad conditions and receiving a fraction of the prize money and prizes," she said.
"An event like the OQC has been long overdue in our region. It will help to undo some past misdoings in our sport, it will financially support and showcase our best current elite surfers, and it will help inspire the next generation of female surfers.
"Our community will get to see the beauty of female surfing."
Yvonne’s daughter, Aimee Turner, is one of the rising stars who will compete in the junior division of the comp and said she was pretty excited to get to surf in front of her mum at such a quality local event.
‘It’s pretty epic; I’ll get the opportunity to meet and surf against the best junior surfers in my region on my local beach. I’ll meet other female surfers that share my passion, and because it is in my local area, I can share the day with my family and friends,’ she said.
And Aimee is pretty proud of her mum too.
"Mum has always dreamed of seeing something big happen for female surfing in our area and has worked tirelessly with many other Woonona Boardriders members and friends to make it happen. Mum is already pretty busy with my other sports and her job, but she does it so we can have opportunities that her generation of surfers missed, which is great for us."
Celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, Woonona Boardriders has witnessed a significant shift as more women have become members in recent years. Kirby Mowbray said the club has undergone a huge transformation in its approach to supporting this new surge of surfer chicks.
"By providing support and resources, more girls are joining, and we are creating an atmosphere where everyone feels valued and welcome. We have a variety of skill levels at our club and provide opportunities for everyone, whether it be competition, skill improvement, increased participation, and enjoyment of the sport," she said.
"This change has highlighted the need for events specifically tailored to females. That’s why a competition of this nature is so important to showcase the skills and achievements of female surfers in the region.
"Women and girls everywhere are progressing at an unprecedented rate. It’s way more exciting to watch women’s professional surfing right now, and that’s an indicator of things to come. We will need more and more of these events to give our up-and-coming girls and women the platform they deserve."
Georgia Matts, the comp’s creative visionary, who is an award-winning surf photographer and designer, echoes these sentiments. She’s helped to craft an event that really is, "for the girls".
"We wanted a female surf comp that highlighted how hard girls are ripping these days but was also about confidently being a woman in the water on female terms," she said. "Our Instagram, branding and everything we’re incorporating on the day speak to this, and that’s why this event will be unique and brilliant.
"Community support has been amazing; we’ve had generous financial support as well as product and service donations. The event will truly be a community effort."
Follow the Ocean Queen Classic and see Georgia’s creative vision on Instagram @oceanqueenclassic
